The present application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. §371 and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §121 from International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2012/051878 filed on Feb. 3, 2012. The entire disclosure of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP0122/051878 is specifically incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a flow cell.
In liquid chromatography, a fluidic analyte may be pumped through conduits and a column comprising a material which is capable of separating different components of the fluidic analyte. Such a material, so-called beads which may comprise silica gel, may be filled into a column tube which may be connected to other elements (like a control unit, containers including sample and/or buffers) by conduits.
When a fluidic sample is pumped through the column tube, it is separated into different fractions. The separated fluid may be pumped in a flow cell in which the different components are identified on the basis of an optical detection mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,513 discloses a method of analyzing fluid samples using a bent capillary flow cell, in which method an external UV/visible light ray beam is directed into an elongated section of the flow cell from a bend thereof, this incident light ray beam is limited to a solid acceptance angle. This solid acceptance angle is determined such that light rays which enter the elongated section traverse predominantly the longitudinal axis thereof, i.e. propagate through the fluid sample, providing an improved signal to noise ratio. Lens means, such as ball lenses, may be used at the entrance and exit side of the elongated section. A bent capillary flow cell is provided, in which the elongated section deviates by an angle from a line perpendicular to a flat side face of a holding template.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,192 discloses a flow cell for housing a liquid sample and for exposing a liquid sample to light which comprises a conduit having a smooth inner wall formed of an amorphous fluoropolymer having a refractive index less than the refractive index of water, said amorphous fluoropolymer having a thickness at least as great as the wavelength of light such that when said conduit is filled with water, visible light and ultra-violet light can be transmitted along the axis of said conduit by total internal reflection.
Conventional flow cells may be complex in manufacture.